J Appl Biomed 1:55-59, 2003 | DOI: 10.32725/jab.2003.009

Nuclear terrorism

Pavel Kuna1,*, Otakar Neruda2, Leoš Navrátil1, Jan Matzner3, Renata Žišková1
1 Faculty of Social and Health Studies of the University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
2 J. E. Purkyně Military Medical Academy, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
3 National Authority for Nuclear Safety, Praha, Czech Republic

Neutron weapons are designed for the destruction of living organisms; they are not designed for the destruction of building and technical facilities. The miniature nuclear fission weapons (about 1 kt) have similar characteristics and they are most suitable for terrorist attacks. Irradiation of mammals by fission neutrons results in a more severe deterministic (acute) as well as stochastic (late) radiation damage in comparison with gamma rays. Traditional physical shielding materials (steel, lead) cannot provide protection, and biological protection mechanisms (tissue hypoxia, radioprotective chemical drugs) are also not effecive. Water and plastic materials (polyethylene) are suitable for shielding.

Keywords: nuclear terrorism; weapons; neutron; biological effects; radioprotection

Received: January 28, 2003; Published: July 31, 2003  Show citation

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Kuna P, Neruda O, Navrátil L, Matzner J, Žišková R. Nuclear terrorism. J Appl Biomed. 2003;1(2):55-59. doi: 10.32725/jab.2003.009.
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